This news from the Gaza Strip: three Egyptian police offices have died near the Israeli border after they were mistaken for Palestinian militants and shot dead by an Israeli tank. Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon apologized for the deaths in a phone call to Egyptian Preisdent Hosni Mubarek. Haaretz reports Mubarak thanked Sharon and said Egypt accepts the apology and understands that the incident was a mistake. The Israeli military described the shooting as a “professional and operational” mishap.